Lateral take-off for air conveyors



y 6, 1969 VON FUNK 3,442,556

LATERAL TAKE-OFF FOR AIR CONVEYORS Filed Feb. 7, 1968 Sheet of 2 Ir win van Funk 1N VLN TOR.

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United States Patent US. Cl. 302-28 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Particulate material gravity conveyed along a main chute while in a fluidized state is selectively diverted from take-off locations through lateral outlet conduits by interrupting fiuidization of the material through the main chute downstream of the take-off location. This is accomplished by sealing the lower gas chamber, from which 'gas flows upwardly through a gas permeable deck to fluidize the material all along the main chute, just downstream of the take-off point. The resulting pile up of material in the main chute horizontally diverts flow into the take-oft conduit within which the material may be fluidized during discharge. a

This invention relates to the selectively controlled discharge of material from gravity-flow, material-fluidized conveyors.

The present invention pertains to gravity conveyors of a type in which particulate material such as sand is conducted through an elongated gravity chute downwardly inclined at a relatively low flow angle of 5 for example which is ordinarily insufficient to induce gravity flow. The normal fiow angle for materials such as sand is 45. However, by fluidizing the sand, the fiow angle may be sharply reduced. This is accomplished by supporting the fiow of the material over a gas permeable deck within the main flow chute so as to enclose therebelow a pressurized gas chamber to which gas such as air is conducted from a compresor. The upward flow of gas through the deck fluidizes or aerates the material.

It is necessary however in connection with gravity flow conveyors of the aforementioned type, to provide facilities for selectively discharging the material from several intermediate locations. Various material take-off arrangements have been devised. One common method for selectively discharging material from an intermediate take-off point along the conveyor is to provide a gate valve controlled, downwardly discharging opening in the upper material flow chamber of the conveyor. Another method employed involves diversion of material flow into a lateral take-off conduit by blocking flow through the main conduit utilizing a flow blocking blade for this purpose. The use of a lateral discharge type of take-off arrangement is more suitable because it is less expensive and bulky than the vertical take-off arrangements. However, the flow diverting blades utilized in such lateral take-01f arrangements are subject to considerable wear when utilized with abrasive materials such as sand making frequent replacement necessary at a considerable maintenance cost.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a selectively controlled material takeoff arrangement for gravity, fluidizing conveyors which will expand its potential use as an inexpensive and effective method for distributing material to many different points.

In accordance with the present invention, material such as sand is horizontally diverted at one or more take-off locations through a lateral outlet conduit extending at an acute angle to the main conveyor chute in a downstream direction. The material is diverted into the outlet conduit by interrupting the fiuidization of the material downstream of the outlet conduit causing a pileup of the material on the downstream side of the outlet conduit blocking further flow along the main conveyor chute. During discharge of the material diverted into the outlet conduit, the. diverted material is fluidized for flow through the outlet conduit in the same manner as it is normally fluidized along the entire main conveyor chute. In order to effect the" foregoing take-ofi operation, the lower gas chamber associated with the main conveyor chute is sealed just downstream of the take-off location while the gas chamber portion of the outlet conduit is opened to the main chute gas chamber which continues to be effective to fluidize the material upstream of the take-off location. By this simple method, flow of an abrasive material such as sand may be diverted without reliance upon any flow blocking blades. A flow damming baflle may however be utilized within the upper flow conducting chambers in order to reduce the longitudinal extent of the material pileup.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a typical material conveyor installation employing the selectively controlled takeoff arrangement of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the conveyor installation illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 33 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 55 in- FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a partial side sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 6-6 in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a typical conveyor installation generally denoted by reference numeral 10 to which the present invention pertains. The conveyor installation includes a main conveyor chute generally referred to by reference numeral 12 of substantial longitudinal extent which is disposed at a downward incline from a material supply hopper 14. The downward incline of the conveyor chute is at a relatively small flow angle such as 5 which is generally insufficient to induce gravity flow of any mate rial if not for the fluidization of the material within the conveyor chute. Fluidization of the material is accom plished by supply of gas under pressure to the conveyor chute by means of a compressor 16 connected to the conveyor chute at the end to which the hopper 14 is connected.

As more clearly seen in FIGURE 5, the conveyor chute 12 in transverse cross-section includes an outer housing enclosure 18 enclosing an upper material flow conducting chamber 20, the bottom of which is defined by a gas permeable deck generally referred to by reference numeral 22. The deck 22 consists of a porous material 24 supported on a metal screen 26 separating the upper material flow chamber from a lower gas chamber 28 enclosed below the deck 22 by an air flow duct 30 secured to the sides of the outer housing 18 by a plurality of fasteners 32. A sealing gasket 34 internally lines the duct 30 just downstream of each take-01f location to enable the sealing off of pressurized air supplied to one end of the chute by the compressor 16. Adjacent the same end of the conveyor chute, the hopper 14 downwardly feeds material into the upper chamber portion 20. It will 3 therefore be apparent that material entering the conveyor chute will flow downwardly therealong at the low flow angle because it is fluidized along the entire conveyor chute by air under pressure flowing upwardly through the permeable deck 22.

The material gravity fed along the porous deck 22 within the upper chamber 20 of the conveyor chute, may be horizontally diverted from one side of the conveyor chute or the other at any one or more intermediate takeoff locations at which an outlet conduit 36 is connected to the main chute 12 extending therefrom at an acute angle in a downstream direction as shown in FIGURES l and 3. The outlet conduit 36 is cross-sectionally similar in construction and arrangement to the main chute 12 and accordingly includes an upper chamber 38 adapted to communicate with the upper chamber 20 of the main chute and a lower gas chamber 40 adapted to communicate with the lower chamber 28 of the main chute, the upper and lower chambers 38 and 40 being separated by a gas permeable deck 42 as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, when flow of material within the upper chamber 20 of the main chute is blocked just downstream of the take-off location, the material will be diverted into the upper chamber 38 of the outlet conduit 36.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6, it will be observed that a flow gate member 44 is pivotally mounted adjacent the gas permeable deck 22 within the lower gas chamber 28 by means of an operating shaft 46 which extends through the sidewalls of the housing 18 and the air duct 30. One end of the operating shaft 46 projects laterally beyond the sidewalls of the main chute and is connected to a similar operating shaft associated with a gate valve within the lower gas chamber 40 of the outlet conduit 36, both operating shafts being pivotally interconnected by a universal pivotal joint 48. Thus, while the flow gate member 44 is displaced from its open position as illustrated in FIGURE 6 to a closed position, a corresponding gate valve within the outlet conduit 36 is displaced from a closed position to an open position. In the closed position of the flow gate member 44, the sealing gasket 34 is engaged as shown by dotted line in FIGURE 6 in order to seal off the gas chamber 28 on the downstream side of the take-E location closely spaced from the outlet conduit 36. In view thereof, there will be no air under pressure along the main conveyor chute 12 downstream of the take-01f location capable of fiuidizing any material beyond the take-off location. Material conducted along the conveyor chute 12 will accordingly be diverted into the outlet conduit 36. Inasmuch as the gas chamber 40 within the outlet conduit is pressurized in view of the opening of its gate valve upon closing of the flow gate member 44 within the main conveyor chute, the diverted material will be conducted through the outlet conduit to a desired discharge point.

It will be appreciated, that when fluidization of the material on the downstream side of the take-oil location is interrupted, the material will pile up on the deck 22 adjacent to the closed flow gate member 44 therebelow. In order to confine the longitudinal extent of this pileup, as well as to increase the speed with which material is completely diverted into the outlet conduit, a flow damming baffle plate 50 is provided as more clearly seen in FIG- URES 5 and 6. The baffle plate is pivotally mounted by the shaft 52 vertically aligned above the flow gate member 44 for simultaneous displacement from an open position as shown in FIGURE 6 to a closed position extending transversely of the chamber 20 as shown by dotted line in FIGURE 6. The shaft 52 is accordingly pivotally mounted by the sidewalls of the housing 18 adjacent the top wall and extends laterally from one side so as to be drivingly connected by the drive mechanism 54 to the operating shaft 46 of the flow gate member in order to effect simultaneous movement of both the flow damming bafile plate 50 and flow gate member 44 by any suitable, selectively controlled actuating mechanism (not shown).

.4 A corresponding, similar flow damming bafiie plate may also be provided for the upper chamber 38 in the outlet conduit 36 which will also be provided with a drive mechanism similar to the drive mechanism 54. It will of course be appreciated, that the flow damming bafile plates are not essential to the operation of the lateral take-01f device which relies solely on the interruption of fluidization of the material by closing and sealing of the lower gas chamber Within the main chute as hereinbefore described.

Where flow damming bafile plates are utilized, the drive mechanisms 54 drivingly interconnect the shafts 46 and 52 for simultaneous rotation in the same direction. Toward this end, each drive mechanism 54 includes, as more clearly seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, a pair of pinions 56 and 58 respectively connected to the shafts 52 and 46. The pinions mesh with a rack member 60 which is slidably mounted between the guides 62 and 64. Stops 68 and 70 are connected to the rack member 60 on both sides of the guide 62 so as to limit displacement of the rack by abutment with the guide 62. Thus, pivotal displacement of the flow gate member 44 and flow damming bafiie plate 50 is limited between the open and closed positions.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a gravity flow chute for particulate material having a gas permeable deck above which the material is conveyed and a pressurized gas chamber therebelow for \fluidizing the material above the deck, means for selectively discharging the material from at least one intermediate location along the chute comprising an outlet conduit extending laterally from the chute at said intermediate location, flow gate means mounted within the gas chamber closely spaced downstream from said intermediate location for movement between closed and open positions, and seal means for preventing pressurization of the gas chamber downstream of the gate means in the closed position thereof, whereby 'maten'al piles up on the deck downstream of said intermediate location to block further flow through the chute and diverting flow of the material into the outlet conduit.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outlet conduit is provided with a lower gas chamber portion and a normally closed gate valve therein, and operating means for opening the gate valve simultaneous with movement of the flow gate means to the closed position to fluidize the material diverted into the outlet conduit above the lower gas chamber portion.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said outlet conduit extends laterally at an acute angle to the chute in a downstream direction.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a baffie plate movably mounted within the chute above the deck in vertical alignment with the flow gate means, and drive means connected to the baflie plate for displacement thereof to a position damming flow of the material in response to movement of the flow gate means to the closed position.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said operating means includes a pair of drive shafts respectively connected to the flow gate means and the gate valve, and pivotal connecting means interconnecting said drive shafts between the chute and the outlet conduit closely spaced downstream from said intermediate location.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outlet conduit extends laterally at an acute angle to the chute in a downstream direction.

7. The combination of claim 1 including a batlle plate movably mounted within the chute above the deck in vertical alignment with the flow gate means, and drive means connected to the bafile plate for displacement thereof to a position damming flow of the material in response to movement of the flow gate means to the closed position.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outlet conduit is provided with a lower gas chamber portion and a normally closed gate valve therein, a pair of drive shafts respectively connected to the flow gate means and the gate valve, and pivotal connecting means interconnecting said drive shafts between the chute and the outlet conduit closely spaced downstream from said intermediate location.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a baffle plate movably mounted within the chute above the deck in vertical alignment with the flow gate means, and drive means connected to the bal'fie plate for displacement thereof to a position damming flow of the material in response to movement of the flow gate means to the closed position.

10. In combination with a gravity rflow chute for particulate material having a gas permeable deck above which the material is conveyed and a pressurized gas chamber therebelow for fi-uidizing the material above the deck, means for selectively discharging the material from at least one intermediate location along the chute comprising horizontal take-off means extending laterally from the chute at said intermediate location for conducting diverted How of the material, means for sealing the gas chamber within the chute closely spaced downstream from the take-01f means to interrupt fiuidization of the material within the chute downstream of said intermediate location and means for fiuidizing the material diverted into the take-off means in response to said interruption in the fluidization of the material Within the chute.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 610,066 8/1898 Kuser 302-64 2,517,837 8/1950 Browne et al. 302-29 2,527,394 10/1950 Browne et al 30229 3,253,864 5/1966 Sayre 302-29 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

